A key component of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is learning and utilizing coping skills to manage intense emotions. If you’re feeling very sad, anxious, angry, or just overwhelmed, there are simple, practical ways to help yourself ride out those emotions without acting on them.
Below are some go-to DBT skills to try:
TIPP Techniques
TIPP stands for Temperature, Intense Exercise, Paced Breathing, and Progressive Muscle Relaxation. These skills are designed to quickly shift your body’s chemistry and help you feel more in control.
Change the Temperature
When we’re emotionally overwhelmed, our bodies often react with a faster heart rate and a sense of panic. Cold temperatures can help calm this response. Try splashing cold water on your face, holding an ice pack or ice cubes, or taking a cold shower. The cold sensations can help reset your body and give your mind a moment of relief. It’s also a great distraction when it feels like your thoughts are spiraling or are too heavy.
Intense Exercise
Your heart rate naturally goes up during intense exercise and goes back down to baseline once you stop exercising. Therefore when feeling dysregulated, we can use intense exercise to mirror that heightened state, and once you stop exercising after a few minutes, you can find yourself feeling more regulated as your heart rate comes back to normal. Anything that elevates your heart rate will work for this skill, such as jumping jacks or running in place.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
Our bodies often carry emotion as physical tension—tight shoulders, clenched fists, or a stiff jaw. With progressive muscle relaxation, you gently tense and then release muscle groups one at a time, starting from your feet and working up. This helps your body calm down and feel more grounded.
Paced (or Paired) Breathing
Breathing is a powerful regulator of emotion. Slowing your breath down can help calm your nervous system. One helpful approach is to breathe in for four counts and out for six. That longer exhale is what tells your body, “We’re okay.” You can even add in a calming phrase—like “in with peace, out with tension”—to keep your mind anchored.
Self-Soothe Using Your 5 Senses
When emotions are high, comforting yourself through your senses can create a sense of safety and grounding. Light a favorite candle, listen to a calming playlist, sip something warm, wrap yourself in a cozy blanket, or look at photos that make you smile. These small actions help you reconnect to the present moment and remind your nervous system that you’re cared for—even by yourself.
5 Senses Grounding
This is a more structured way to bring yourself back to the here and now when your thoughts feel scattered or overwhelming. Use the 5-4-3-2-1 technique:
- Name 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can touch
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
It may sound simple, but this technique pulls your awareness away from your racing mind and into the real world—where things are often much safer than they feel.
The more you practice these techniques, the more natural they’ll start to feel. Everyone has tough moments. These tools give you a way to move through them with more awareness, less reactivity, and a little more kindness toward yourself.
